Pages

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Sentimental Sunday The Hero and The Country Line Dance Lessons

If you all have not figured it out yet, the Hero took a lot of teasing from me.

He was usually very tolerant although he had some talks with the Lord about me occasionally. Rightly so.

This story centers around Mother's Day in the mid 1980's. A couple at our church loved country western dancing, so they brought in a teacher to help the rest of us learn how to do the country dances of the day.

It was the Hero's 'gift' to agree to take the lessons.

The Two Step was a snap, the Hero had taken ball room dancing when he was little.

Then we attacked the hard steps...the 'Cotton Eyed Joe' line dance.

(Here are some examples of the steps instructions:

2 Kick forward with LEFT foot
3&4 Shuffle (polka) steps moving back on LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT (back-together-back)
Note: When moving back, maintain the curve of the circle. Do not move straight back!)

Here is 'the look'

It looked easy enough when we watched the kids do it at dances we had chaperoned.

Not.

I don't think I have ever laughed as hard as that night watching the Hero with his legs in the strangest contortions and his mouth matching as he concentrated on how to get the rhythm and steps together.
You know the yellow happy face on the "emotions" that rolls around beating the floor with its feet and hands as it laughs. That was me. Poor Hero, he was trying so hard and his feet and legs were not cooperating. He being a good egg, gave the tolerant look then started laughing too and soon gave up.
I really didn't care if we learned to do the steps or not, we didn't go out dancing. The point was, he was willing to try and learn and have fun with me. His ego was strong enough to have me ROTFL and teasing him for months afterward about his rubber legged Cotton Eyed Joe steps. It was a fun Mother's Day Gift.

Grandchildren, don't take yourself too seriously. Look at the big picture of life and have fun.

6 comments:

What a wonderful fun post. Reminded me of Man and I and some good friends taking square dancing a couple of years back in the RGV. Not sure the other dancers appreciated our laughing that much, but, we sure got tickled over our multiple left feet!